Sort Of
by candyflavordlies
Summary: Sometimes, he thinks about what it would be like to wake up next to her. Sometimes, she thinks about what it would be like to be old enough. And sometimes things are...complicated. A collection of semi-cohesive drabbles focusing on the relationship between Annie and Jeff through their years at Greendale and beyond. Minor spoilers through season 4.
1. Before This

**_Author's Notes:_**_ Hello everyone! Turns out I'm alive. And I've been writing this story for a very long time, but never got a chance to post it. This started out as a way to get all of my Annie/Jeff mini-ideas out of my head (an alphabet prompt based story somewhat inspired by Ingrid Michaelson's 'Sort Of'). It has since become a story I've absolutely fallen in love with. Enjoy!_

Sometimes, Jeff tries to forget what he was like before all of this. Because it inevitably leads to all consuming self scrutiny and loathing.

He can't imagine going back to that now but if he doesn't, what has this all been for?

He practices his lawyer faces in the mirror every morning just to make sure he still has it. He looks like a douche.

This isn't what he wanted - he wasn't looking for friends or family or self discovery and somehow, he's managed to find that and more.

He hates Shirley and her sincerity and her reason because damn it, she made so much damn sense it hurt to think about. She's right, that people do change and he hates it.


	2. It's Only Ever Christmas

Their biggest moments only ever seem to happen around Christmas.

It's never as they're walking down the hall mid-April or as they're ending the semester in late May. It's never something small or seemingly inconsequential but rather a defining moment in rather mundane events.

And it only ever happens at Christmas. He intends to change that. It's a pretty innocuous day in March, a month devoid of any major holidays and he decides that now is as good a time as any.

She's talking about something which isn't surprising because Annie is almost always talking. He doesn't mind - there are so many fascinating nuances in watching her that half the time, he isn't even paying attention. She seems to notice this as she huffs and turns to glare at him.

"Are you even listening to me?"

He holds the door open as they step out into the brisk air.

"Nope." Before she can start up one of her tantrums, his arms are around her waist and all she can think about is how warm he is and then his lips are on hers. She's surprised - delightfully so, and leans in closer.

When they finally part, all Annie can manage is a noncommittal 'huh'.

Jeff counts it as a win that she doesn't slap him. For extra safety, he gives her one of his most charming smiles. He slides his arms from around her, and he doesn't know what possesses him to do so, but he tugs the hood of her wool jacket to cover her ears which are turning pink in the bitter cold.

"So..."

"So...?"

"Wanna grab some coffee?" Her face scrunches up. "Sorry, I forgot, no coffee after four or you turn into a gremlin or something."

"Ha ha. Very funny." He shoves his hands in his coat pockets.

"How about tea? Or hot chocolate?" She perks up at the latter.

"With the little marshmallows?"

"Of course." He gestures forward with an elbow. She loops her arm in his and snuggles into his side as they walk to his car. Annie smiles up at him. He smiles back.

"That sounds wonderful."


	3. Guessing Game

**_Author's__ Note: _**_I should probably mention that these aren't necessarily in order. I gave myself a prompt, wrote the story and then moved on. Otherwise I'd put myself in a bind like I did with my Alice story. With that said, this one is actually part of a story within this story - let's call it the Imperfect Timeline._ _When possible, I'll try to warn you when one of those comes up (the first few aren't nearly as cheery as the last chapter)._

* * *

Annie is tired of it, this guessing game. She never knows where she stands or what he wants and she's *tired*. So she stops.

She quits it cold turkey and its both the best and worst feeling in the world. Abed makes a comment about the change in the group dynamic - the inevitable snapping of the proverbial rubberband.

Shirley gives him her I'm listening but I don't understand smile, Troy says something about exploding and Britta commits to trying, and failing miserably, to figure out what Abed is talking about.

And Jeff...he pretends to text someone but she can see him glancing at her from time to time.

She pushes down the fluttering in her stomach. She won't let him do this anymore. This isn't some feminine ploy to get him to take notice. No, this was Annie Edison growing up and moving on.

She clears her throat and opens her textbook to chapter 7.

"Are we going to study or what?"

And just like that, she's pushing forward, leaving that dream behind in search of one a bit more attainable.


	4. Hardly

"I hope this isn't some half-hearted attempt to domesticate me, because I'm telling you right now, its not going to work."

Annie scoffs. "Hardly." She turns sharply down an aisle. "It's just, you're the tallest person I know. I swear this place was made for giants."

Annie continues to mutter under her breath as she drags him along, basket in hand. She seems to _only_ need things from the top of these ridiculously high shelves and it's funny because things like this start to make Jeff understand what his mom meant about 'fitting' someone. She used to talk about it, years ago, when he was still angry and bitter about his father leaving. He never understood how she could still love the man that abandoned them. And one day, when he was 15 or 16, he'd said as much. She tried to explain it to him. She'd talked to him then about fitting, about needing and loving someone so much because everything you did wrong, they got right and everything you couldn't do, they somehow could. She got this wistful look whenever she started up and he would listen, try to make sense of it but he never could.

"Jeff?"

"Yeah?"

"I asked you if you could get the sugar."

"Yeah sure, sorry. What are you making anyway?" He places the ten pound bag of sugar in the cart and she crosses it off of her list.

"I'm going to try my hand at apple pie!" She beams at him and he's not sure if he should be clapping or something but he smiles and that seems to be enough. He leans across the back of the shopping cart, his hands folded over the handle.

"That sounds adventurous."

"Well, Troy and Abed are going on a road trip this weekend and I don't usually get time alone so I'm really excited."

"You get an entire weekend off and you're big plan is to bake pies?" Jeff raises an eyebrow and Annie scoffs.

"Some of us enjoy the domestic life. Besides, what are you doing this weekend, Mr. Hot Shot?" Her hand is on her hip which can only mean that she's getting herself riled up for a fight. Jeff smirks.

"For your information, Mary Homemaker, I plan to enjoy a quiet weekend at home drinking scotch and watching the game."

Annie spots the shortening on the 4th shelf up and decides that no, she doesn't need Jeff's help and yes, she can reach it by herself. She huffs and raises up on her tip toes.

"I don't see how that's any better than what I'm doing." She only succeeds in pushing the container farther back on the shelf.

"Well for one, my plans involve no work." He would never say it aloud but Annie is absolutely adorable in her independence. Her face is decidedly unhappy at her current predicament and short of climbing up the thing, Jeff is sure she'll never be able to reach her goal.

"Sometimes it's worth putting the work in Jeff." As if to make her point, she gives a little jump which pushes the carton of shortening completely out of reach. Just as she lets out a frustrated growl, she feels him behind her. His figure dwarfs hers and all the light behind her. She's suddenly surrounded and she forgets for a moment where she is and what they're talking about.

"I'll tell you what, how about you come over to my place and bake this mystical apple pie. I'll offer you endless criticism and then benefit from all your efforts." He pulls away and dumps the container into the cart. Annie smooths out the imaginary wrinkles in her skirt and offers him a sarcastic smile.

"So, just like school?"

"Pretty much."

"Great! In which case, we'll probably need to get another bag of apples. I promised Troy and Abed that I'd save them some and I wanted to take a slice or two for Britta and Pierce. Oh and Shirley too! We also need ice cream and whipped cream..."

Annie reads through her list as she walks down the aisle, Jeff leisurely pushes the shopping cart behind her. As she flits from place to place, he thinks that maybe once in a while, this domestic thing isn't all that bad.


	5. When All Is Done

Its two weeks before graduation when she says it.

She's leaving. There's a paid internship in Nevada and she's super excited to study forensic science in the same city where they film CSI and isn't this crazy?

He nods and he smiles but Jeff can't share in her enthusiasm.

She's already found an apartment with a pool and clean hallways and strict rules about the type of people that live there. If everything works out, she'll have a real job in three months and maybe this is it, her chance to be an adult. They joke about perpetual childhood and Jeff says something funny and witty because it's what he does when he pretends he doesn't care.

But he does.


	6. Love Letter

_Dear Annie,_

He rolls his eyes. Four years of college and he still writes like a teenage girl confessing her latest crush to her diary.

He sighs and leans back in his chair. Why was this so hard? They've been friends and sort of more than that on and off again for years now, yet here he is, struggling to write a brief card.

But there isn't an easy way to do this. To end an era and all that came with it. It isn't easy to find yourself an adult at the end of the road because Jeff thinks might be what people meant when they told him to grow up.

He doesn't want to. He wants this to last a few more months, years, maybe forever but that seems too permanent. But mostly he wants Annie to stay, to always be there, to always be smiling and laughing and gasping indignantly at everything he says. He just wants her to stay.

He leans forward again.

_Dear Annie..._


	7. Quest for Truth

_**Author's**_** Note:** Part of the Imperfect Timeline. Happiness to come later!

* * *

"Annie, wait!" Jeff told himself long ago that it would be a cold day in hell before he chases, literally _chases_, after a girl. But here he is, jogging after no other than Annie Edison.

She pretends she can't hear him even as people stare at her. She refuses to stop because, for once, she doesn't want to be the one doing all the work. Even if its silly and childish, Annie wants to be worth chasing.

She knows that she's smart and pretty and overall, a damn good catch. She _knows_ this and somehow Jeff makes her doubt it all.

"Annie, what the hell?" He's a little winded from the bobbing and weaving and the mowing over people but he's finally caught up to her.

She feigns ignorance as she glances to the side.

"Oh, hey Jeff. Did you need something?" He almost stumbles, as if her words alone throw him off.

"Seriously, what is up with you?" He expects to hear some form of protest or indignation but she is quiet and non-reactive.

"What do you mean?"

Jeff squints at her. He doesn't like this conversation. She's as pleasant as she is with everyone and maybe that's the part he doesn't like, because he's not everyone.

So he drops it.

"Nothing. I'll see you tomorrow." Her eyes change for just a moment and Jeff isn't sure what he's seeing but it might be disappointment.

He stops then and she keeps walking and it all seems so final.

That night, Jeff commences Operation Quest for Truth.


	8. Somebody Save Me

Annie finds him in a bar a few blocks from his apartment. The text from Britta is vague and cryptic but clear enough to know that something isn't right.

He's hard to miss in this crowd. He's too tall, dark and brooding for a place like this. She makes her way to where he is and slides into the seat next to him.

"Hey."

Jeff glances at her from over the rim of his glass. If he's surprised to see her, it doesn't show.

"Hey. What are you doing here?" Annie shrugs.

"I got word from a trusted source that you were in need of a friend. So, here I am." She smiles at him. Jeff snorts.

"Britta sucks."

"She's just worried about you."

"I guess she told you what happened?"

"No, not really. Do you want to talk about it?" It's Jeff's turn to shrug. Annie is content to sit with him in silence as she takes in the people around her. Jeff flags down the bartender.

"An apple martini for the lady." The man looks at her suspiciously but it's after 9pm and you need ID to get in so she ignores him and turns back to the miserable man beside her.

"What are you having?"

"A midlife crisis maybe?" Annie chuckles.

"Don't be so dramatic. That's at least another five years out." He raises his eyebrow at that.

"You wound me." For the first time, he takes in her touseled hair and slighty flushed cheeks. "Did I interrupt something?"

"What? Oh! No. I was doing yoga. Trying to do yoga. It's really hard. And you spend like half the video in downward facing dog."

If Annie only knew how absolutely off track his mind has gone, she might actually smack him. His eyes flick to her lips and for a moment, he truly considers kissing her and maybe he needs lay off the scotch. All he can manage is a grunt before he takes another sip. He casts a sideways glance at his drinking partner and does a double take when he catches sight of her legs.

"You're wearing pants." Annie looks bemused and he is for sure bewildered because its been what three, four years? And he's never seen her in pants. Ever.

"Yes." She shakes her head and plays with the rim of her glass. "They're my big girl pants." She smiles sadly and takes a healthy gulp. Jeff nods because he thinks he might understand.

"I met my dad today." Annie's head snaps up. Huh, he thinks. Turns out Britta isn't _completely_ untrustworthy.

"And...?"

"And..." Jeff breathes heavily, "he's a dick."

"Oh."

He laughs. "Yeah."

"Sorry."

"Don't be. I'm not. I was worried all these years that there was something I was missing out on but I was wrong. Things were perfect without him. I'm glad I'm old enough to know that. I didn't miss out on anything."

"Parents are like that, ya know. They suck." She stirs her drink absently. She looks at him thoughtfully. "What about your mom?"

"What about her?"

"Awesome or awful?" Jeff smiles.

"She's pretty damn awesome."

"You never talk about her."

"I've got to keep some secrets or I'll lose my charm." Annie snorts.

"Right." She takes a long sip from her glass.

"Why do you drink those things?"

"They're delicious."

"You've never had anything else, have you?" Annie scoffs. Jeff holds up his hand.

"Save it, Edison." He motions to the bartender. "Can I get a Mojito Three?" The young man nods and zips to the other end of the bar.

"A what?" Jeff smiles knowingly.

"You'll see."

* * *

Annie spends the rest of the night trying a dozen different mixed drinks. Turns out she likes mojitos. She's not a huge fan of pina coladas but could drink her fair share of daiquiris. Jeff won't let her drink more than half of anything and by the end of the night, she's thankful for that. They're both doubled over in laughter as they stumble out of the bar. Annie is clutching Jeff's arm to steady herself as she struggles to put on her jacket.

"How did you get here, anyway?"

"I took the bus." Jeff visibly shudders.

"What?"

"I don't think they clean those things. It's like riding around in the back of a garbage truck. Except I know they clean those." Annie rolls her eyes.

"Scared you'll get a few germs on your $800 dollar sweater?"

"No, I'm worried you'll get hepatitis from touching the poles. Come on, I'll drive you home."

"You don't have to do that."

"I know but I want to. It's the least I can do for that embarrassing display of sentimentality earlier."

"I think the word you're looking for is humanity."

Jeff snorts, though he'll never admit to that, and smiles as he offers his arm. Annie links her arm around his and pulls in close to his side.

"Alright but I don't want you whining about having to drive all the way across town." They start the short walk to his car that Jeff wishes would take forever. Annie is a little wobbly and full of giggles and it chases all the bad, dark, unwanted feelings away. And given how his day started out, he's in a pretty good place. He looks away as he mumbles to himself.

"Wouldn't dream of it."


	9. Vast and Vastly Inappropriate

_**Author's**_**_ Note_:**_ A guest reviewer asked a great question - are these in order? No, no they aren't in any particular order. This started out as an alphabet driven collection of drabbles depicting a dozen different points in the show and beyond. It has since turned into 2 or 3 different timelines. Instead of mapping and fleshing out 3 different stories, I decided to put these short chapters in one place. My hope is that if you're a fan of Community, and more specifically, Jeff and Annie, you can find something here that makes sense to you and that you enjoy (maybe you like them broody, or flirty, or a stronger version of Annie and less douchey version of Jeff). There are a few chapters that have morphed into something of their own and I've labeled them the Imperfect Timeline. __At some later point, I may separate out those few if they seem *too* independent._

* * *

Jeff's 'Annie Image Bank' is vast and, by any stretch of the term, vastly inappropriate.

He acknowledges that there may be a problem when he finds himself recalling her legs, of all things. He's seen her stripped to nothing but her bra and panties and he's fixated on her legs. But they're long and lean and perfect.

It's unfortunate because now he can't *not* look at them all the time. And she seems to tip toe for everything. Every single thing she reaches for requires her to overextend so that she is leaning over and lengthening her legs and she is one long sensual line of woman.

He tries not to focus on it but that takes far too much concentration and he finds himself fumbling over words and questions and hell, even his own two feet.

As soon as it's a little warmer, she starts wearing shorter and shorter skirts and at some point, she'd pick up a pair of heels and he swears, if her wardrobe continues to progress in this pattern, she'll be naked by summer and he'll be dead of a heart attack.

He moves up that timeline when, at lunch, Annie crosses her legs and one patent leather pump clad foot drags its way up his calf. He chokes on his drink and barely keeps from making a fool of himself as he coughs. The group cast him concerned looks but he waves them off.

"Wrong pipe." That seems to satisfy everyone and they go back to their conversations.

His eyes quickly look down. From his seat at the end of the table, he can see exposed skin for what seems like miles and only ends at the hem of her black pencil skirt and Jesus Christ, that's it. He's done for. He grips the bottle in his hand and picks at the label furiously. He doesn't look up at her because there's only 2 ways _that_ can go. Either she knows exactly what she's doing and she's daring him to do something or she has no idea what's she's doing and he'll look up and Annie will be giving him those doe eyes. Either way, he's so, so screwed.

Jeff tells himself that he can do this, that he just needs to get through lunch and then he'll have time to compose himself. Annie seems to have other plans. Just as Abed begins explaining why Inception might be one of the best films of all time, she leans forward, her arm resting under her cleavage and pushing it damn near over the top of her cardigan.

His eyes refuse to look away as she breathes and they rise and fall. His hand on the bottle stills and the other squeezes his thigh because if he doesn't do something with his hands, his alternative action will most definitely get him killed. She laughs at something Troy says and the combination of her voice, the gentle bounce of her breasts and the twitch of her foot against him all but does it.

Everyone stops to look at him as they watch his phone clatter and spin across the floor. The device has separated into 4 pieces and Jeff looks back at them, panic written across his face.

"Damn!" He leans down to gather the remains of the Blackberry he'd thrown off the table.

"Do you want me...?" Annie begins, both legs sliding out from under the table just as Jeff looks up.

"Nope! I've got it. See you guys later."

He all but runs from the cafeteria and spends the better part of the hour sitting in his car and praying to God that the situation in his pants resolves itself before the next class.


	10. Misinterpretation of the Purposeful Kind

_**Author's Note:** This is based on the episode 'Paranormal Parentage'. To me, it seemed Annie was going completely out of her way to be un-sexy and this is what popped into my head. Enjoy!_

* * *

Annie is sitting in her room, as she is known to do, reading one of her many books, when she hears the familiar buzz of her cellphone.

It's pretty late so she's a little confused when she reads the name "Jeff" on her screen. She half expects it to me something inappropriate.

_"I'm going as a boxer. Want to be my ring girl?"_

Annie frowns because this text is obvious meant for someone else. She and Jeff aren't a "thing", by his choice, and a joint costume seemed awfully close to defining this not-thing that they were trying to maintain. She doesn't know how to respond so she closes her phone and hopes that he realizes he sent it to the wrong person.

Fifteen minutes later, her phone buzzes again. She puts down her book carefully - it's just getting good - to check it again.

"_I'm not sure how to convey uncomfortable silence except..."_

Annie composes the text thoughtfully, being sure not to sound too much like herself.

_"Are you sure you're asking the right person?"_

_"Jeez, Annie. Yes or no? Times a wastin'"_

She allows herself a small before she responds. _"Sure."_

* * *

Jeff doesn't know where he gets the balls to do it, but before he can turn back, he presses 'send' on his Blackberry. He's been thinking about this all summer which is sad because what adult plans their Halloween 4 months in advance on the off chance that he gets to see his super hot, super young, borderline illegal friend half naked?

He groans because what the heck was he thinking? Well, it's too late to take back now, and so he waits.

When, after a whole fifteen minutes he hasn't received a response, he's a little on edge. Did that mean she didn't want to? Or that she couldn't? Was she going with someone else? And did matching costumes even mean they were together? It should because that would be a much easier way to go about this.

He types in his message, something cheesy and cringe worthy and he erases it to start again. He goes for clever and flippant and that comes off as a creepy. So he goes with semi-honest and slightly funny in hopes that at the very least, she'll respond, if only to say no.

The text that comes back to him has him metaphorically scratching his head. _Was he sure he had the right person?_ Who else would he be asking? That one stumps him because now he's starting to think that this is a very bad idea. Man up, says the voice in the back of his head. This shouldn't be this difficult but somehow, it seems that everything with Annie always is. He says as much, in much fewer words and with a little less sappiness. He throws in a little Western slang - a nod to a time, not so long ago, when they'd dressed up like fools together.

'_Sure'_

* * *

Jeff gives himself a mental high-five because he's actually managed to take a step into the world of legitimate communication. A state in which he can ask a question normally and be rewarded with the right answer. No lawyer speak, no bribery. Just normal.

When Annie shows up in the study room dressed like an extra from The Walking Dead, Jeff rethinks this legitimate communication thing. He's beyond disappointed and his night has just become the most useless exercise in over primping ever. And to top it all off, they're being dragged to Pierce's stupid mansion.

Tonight blows.

When they get into his car, Jeff fixes her with a confused glare. Normally, it would seem like an impossible feat but he wears it well.

Annie glances at him as they pulls onto the main street. He's wearing a scowl and she's rolls her eyes in response.

"What?"

"How could you possibly misinterpret that?"

She shrugs. "I didn't."

"What?"

"I didn't misinterpret it."

It's Jeff's turn to roll his eyes. "Then I think you and I have a communication problem."

"Yes, we do."

"Why are you being so frustratingly cryptic?" They're waiting at the light and he's tapping his fingers restlessly against the steering wheel.

"Why did you want me to be your ring girl?"

Well, _that_ shut him up. Because he doesn't want to answer that question as much as she is avoiding his. She's not going to get him though, because he's the master at making people, no, _Annie_, uncomfortable. So he goes for it.

"Do I need a reason to want to see you half naked?"

"Exactly?" Her tone is the very essence of condescension, which is starting to really, really get to him.

"Seriously Annie. What the hell?"

"You want to see me strut around in a bra and hot pants while you're wearing nothing but a pair of shorts and a robe. Did you think that through or were you planning on walking around with your..." She gestures vaguely towards his lap "standing at attention all night?"

Jeff sputters for all of two seconds because damn it, she had him. She wasn't half as naive as she pretended to be and he apparently wasn't nearly as sly as he thought himself. His ego deflates and sinks further into his seat.

His earlier assessment was spot on - tonight blows.


End file.
